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Are you ready to rake it in? We're not talking about quick riches from an Internet IPO. We're talking about the arrival of fall - the season of backyard leaf gathering. If you're usually less than enthusiastic about that task, try using the Gather & Go Rake. It's one of the latest offerings from Innovations & Development Inc., a product-innovation consulting firm based in Edgewater, New Jersey that has won design awards for various products - from a handheld monitor for testing blood-glucose levels to the bottle for a new Snapple product.

The Gather & Go has a sculpted rubber handle, proving that even the most simple yard tools can exude ergonomic excellence. It also has two heads: One of them features soft plastic teeth for raking; the other has a clamshell-like shape suitable for scooping up leaves. Our advice about this rake: Don't leaf home without it.